Woman nabbed for alleged libelous Facebook comment

CEBU, Philippines - Facebook users, beware of your comments online.

Police arrested yesterday a woman who was sued for libel because of comments she posted on Facebook, a popular social networking site.

Caroline Jane Yongco-Po, of legal age, from Condo Village, Damascos Street, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City, posted P10,000 bail yesterday, four years after the complaint was filed.

Judge Douglas Marigomen of Regional Trial Court 7 Branch 5 issued the arrest warrant against Po last April 18, 2012 after her former friend, Happy Melendres, of Cebu City, filed a complaint against her in 2008.

In her online post, she alluded to someone as a prostitute and named the woman’s husband. Po’s comment that earned her the arrest warrant was posted in December 2008.

Melendres said her complaint was dismissed by two Cebu City prosecutors. Undeterred, she filed an appeal before the Department of Justice which reversed the order of the two prosecutors.

Last Saturday, the court issued Po’s arrest warrant for libel. Elements from Mabolo Police Station served Po’s warrant while she was inside hardware along A.S. Fortuna Mandaue City.

The police said Po was shocked when she was shown her warrant of arrest but went peacefully with the police and posted bail immediately.

Melendres said this should serve as a warning to people who are not responsible with what they post online. She said she will do everything for Po to be jailed for what she did.

“I really don’t know Po. I just met her through our common friend,” she said.

This is not the first arrest made in Cebu that stemmed from libel case from Facebook posts. Last year, Barili Vice Mayor Marlon Garcia filed a libel complaint against a couple, Jarl and Dimple Vergara, for calling him dumb on Facebook. Jarl was a casual employee of the Barili Municipal Government, where political clashes have been heating up.

The Regional Trial Court issued warrants of arrest against the two, according to the vice mayor, who added that the two posted P10,000 each as bail. The case is still being heard.

Last January, a nurse filed criminal and civil charges against her own cousin for allegedly maligning her on Facebook.

The nurse, a resident of Cansojong, Talisay City, claimed that her cousin, who is also a resident of Cansojong, allegedly wrote libelous messages directly on her Facebook wall.

The victim said all of the 613 friends of the defendant read her post as of January 25, 2012.The complainant said the defendant also wrote blogs, messages and shout-outs on her wall which could also be read by her friends.

The nurse asked P1 million against the defendant for moral damages, P300,000 for exemplary damages, P50,000 for attorney’s fees, P10,000 for litigation expenses and P2,500 for appearance fees. — (FREEMAN)